When we gave up gluten and dairy there were some weird surprises. One of them was Caesar Dressing. We used to make our own dressing with plenty of parmesan cheese, or sometimes we would use the Great Value brand from Walmart. When we couldn’t eat dairy any more, we couldn’t have Caesar dressing either, because they all contain parmesan. A reader sent me a recipe for Creamy Garlic Dressing and I gave it a try. I tweaked it a bit, using Italian Seasonings instead of basil, and it tasted just right. At first I thought that so much garlic powder would be terrible, but its actually very good. When we serve Caesar Salad now, this is the dressing we use. The quantity below is just enough for a large, 4-serving bowl of Chicken Caesar Salad.

Creamy Garlic Dressing

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice or half each

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasonings or basil

2 teaspoons garlic powder (yes, 2-teaspoons)

Measure the mayonnaise into a small bowl. Slowly blend in the vegetable oil and then the vinegar or lemon juice. When the mixture is creamy and well blended add the sugar, salt, Italian Seasonings and garlic powder. Mix very well. Transfer to an 8-ounce jar and store in the fridge until serving time. Makes just under 1-cup or 7 servings, 2-tablespoons each. Perfect, dairy-free substitute for Caesar Dressing.